Benevento F1

[Fred Hempel]

Today is the last day of our fall kickstarter campaign. It features Benevento.

[Fred Hempel]

Just a note again

Based on our results this past summer and fall, we think $6.95 is a fair price.
We raised it to that again.

Originally Posted by Fred Hempel

Benevento is back on our website.

Price lowered from $6.95 to $4.95 because I really people to try it.

Note that packing and shipping will take a little bit more time -- orders to start going out by September 30. Maybe sooner, but no guarantee.

[Fred Hempel]

Benevento production in our field this past summer. Tomatoes on the ground are what was coming off the plants during peak season (previous harvest 3 days before).

[KarenO]

Fred, I was waiting for you to have fresh seeds back in stock to post and I just wanted to tell all the gardeners out there and especially those who may have had a idea that hybrid tomatoes are more for the pros and farmers that I grew Benevento this summer in my garden and I was blown away by the looks and the flavour of it. This is not your grocery store red hybrid and it’s not just for farmers, gardeners will love it!
It has all the best qualities of flavour and beautiful appearance I want in a garden beefsteak tomato but in a super healthy productive plant that’s hard to match in many of our favourite OP varieties.
I recommend gardeners give it a grow and see for yourselves.
I’m a confessed tomato snob of the highest order and Benevento is just simply all- around excellent.
KarenO

[KarenO]

I think the slice is pretty self explanatory
It’s really cool how the heavy yellow striping on the red tomato gives it that overall orange appearance but then that dark pink interior is almost a surprise every time you cut one.

[Fred Hempel]

Wow. That's a great photo!

[KarenO]

Originally Posted by Fred Hempel

Wow. That's a great photo!

Wow! It’s a great tomato

[DK2021]

Mouthwatering! I have my Kickstarter allocation of Benevento seeds and cannot wait to grow them!!!

[Fred Hempel]

Glad they made it!

Originally Posted by DK2021

Mouthwatering! I have my Kickstarter allocation of Benevento seeds and cannot wait to grow them!!!

[Fred Hempel]

For those that now have Benevento seeds for 2022 -- Please share results here in this thread. Good and bad.

We think this variety will do very well for most people in most places.

But, we need to know where it falters, and also if it has any specific disease susceptibilities in any particular area. Of course we also need to know if it weathers any disease outbreak well.

[Barb_FL]

Karen - that is a beautiful tomato - inside and out. Thank you for posting.

So are the seeds available now? I didn't do the kickstarter b/c the timing always seems off (for Florida growing). I could grow it now if I can get the seeds quickly.

[Fred Hempel]

It is generally available at the Artisan Seeds website this year, and should be continuously in stock.

Originally Posted by Barb_FL

Karen - that is a beautiful tomato - inside and out. Thank you for posting.

So are the seeds available now? I didn't do the kickstarter b/c the timing always seems off (for Florida growing). I could grow it now if I can get the seeds quickly.

[ddsack]

If for no other reason, I'll have to grow Benevento as a long keeper. I picked all the green tomatoes, including some 2-3 oz smaller ones before the last frost back in October. I was skeptical that the little ones would even ripen, but they have, every single one. Here it is January, and I had one on a salad tonight. Obviously not the same flavor as a prime warm weather garden grown, but it had nice texture, not runny, and good acidity, much better than the cardboard tomatoes from the store. I'm down to about 5 little ones left to eat.

[Fred Hempel]

Originally Posted by ddsack

If for no other reason, I'll have to grow Benevento as a long keeper. I picked all the green tomatoes, including some 2-3 oz smaller ones before the last frost back in October. I was skeptical that the little ones would even ripen, but they have, every single one. Here it is January, and I had one on a salad tonight. Obviously not the same flavor as a prime warm weather garden grown, but it had nice texture, not runny, and good acidity, much better than the cardboard tomatoes from the store. I'm down to about 5 little ones left to eat.

How did you store them?

We are finding that refrigeration decreases shelf-life, and that cool storage (around 60 degrees F) is probably optimal.

Is that similar to what you are seeing?

[ddsack]

Just room temperature, open air in an extra basement bedroom. Temp probably varied from 60-70F, the cooler temperature as winter set in.